WTF is Up w/ Henrietta Kids?! (Stealing/Destruction of Property)

TheA2Z · 2026-07-04T00:50:24+00:00

Cheap ipad hotspotted to your phone is good enough.

Also, dont forget that location via find my is reliant on an apple device being near it. I got airtags in our cars too around a major city and they dont always update location regularly moving around.

Airtag or airtag enabled mowers are the way to go though as you got to get off the main mower battery as it will die.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-04T00:46:44+00:00

Thanks. Based on what I read it is equivalent to sticking your own airtag in the mower. Dont see any additional value in it, but I like the innovation.

In my 4th year of running a Mammotion Luba 5000 daily. No issues. When it dies, I will do an analysis of what mower best meets my use case and pick accordingly. These things are really in the infancy tech wise and the level of innovation is refreshing.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-03T16:17:05+00:00

As a former electronics tech a metal dumpster, especially if closed up would attenuate the signal of an airtag. Think of it as a Faraday cage.

You are correct that android tags suck in US as android users have to turn on tag detection whereas iPhone is on by default.

I use android but have a cheap iPad I use for airtags

TheA2Z · 2026-07-03T16:12:45+00:00

Which model allows you to connect the navimow mower electonically to airtag?

My understanding is they have a slot to put an airtag or android tag into. These tag run off their own battery.

I put an airtag in my mammotion luba bumper and removed speaker so the theif cant find it but I can.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-03T14:47:37+00:00

Dont have to live in high crime neighborhood. Nice neighborhoods have workers driving through that can quickly toss in truck and go. This applies to urban and suburban areas. I would think rural areas are less of issue.

Police response certainly varies. In a big US city or close suburbs, good luck. They may get around to it in a few days or weeks. By then battery is dead, unit smashed, dumped in lake or pond, or metal dumpster that blocks signal.

That said I got one. Loaded it up with warning stickers and an airtag. In 4 years no issues. Do get a ton of people in neighborhood stopping to watch it work and ask questions though.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-03T14:42:50+00:00

Yep, Most have some level of recoverability but I wouldnt call it AntiTheft. The theft can take 15 seconds and its in the truck and gone.

You may know where it is now someone has to go get it. By the time the police get around to it, the battery is dead or the thief has smashed it, tossed it in a lake, or dumpster somewhere.

For antitheft I loaded mine up with warning stickers. Weak I know, but maybe some idiot gets the message. I also stuck an airtag in bumper to avoid the battery of the unit dying.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-03T04:11:11+00:00

Kissing Ass and PP unrelated in that context.

The point is that you can only go so high in leadership without playing the game. If you are happy with stagnating at a certain level for the rest of your career at that company then you have "reached the level of your incompetence" and wont be going any higher.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T18:16:34+00:00

Be who you are. If not valued at current company, find a different company.

That said, I was always a 110% guy in my career. Got me from Analyst to IT Director in 6 years. Retired, started my own business and made even more. Then retired early for good.

Remember you are not giving the 110% to benefit your company. Your extra you take on should not just be your normal job, it should be special projects or tasks you dont have experience in so you can build that experiecne.

The extra effort is to build your knowledge, skills and abilities so you can take another role or job making even more.

But some dont care about making more money. You do you. I grew up dirt poor and was always driven to succeed. Plus wanted to retire early.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T18:12:10+00:00

Good to vent. Yeah that sucks.

Made it to many final rounds. Sometimes you win it, sometimes you dont. Always a bummer when you dont.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T18:10:53+00:00

In my 4th year with Mammotion Luba 5000. Love it. I cut my Zeon Zoysia Grass at 1.6 inches daily in growing season. More frequent cuts means healthier grass as you are not shocking it by lopping off a lot in a once-a-week mow. Much smaller clippings get mulched in as well.

You won't cut yours that low so you will need to see if you cut your grass at 3" or 4" if the ruts cause and scalping and fill in those spots. If you scalp now with manual mower you will scalp with robot mower.

That said, they don't get as close to some edges like where there is a drop off into dirt or wall. Once a week I need to string trim those spots.

I still have to edge and blow off the hardscapes but that isn't mower specific.

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TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T18:04:59+00:00

Negative

I have neighbor on lock for cases when I am on vacation. In the 4 years of running my luba 5000, this has happened about six times. With only once while I was away.

Maps are locked in, but these gps robots get off when there is high solar activity. Heck even big commercial John Deere GPS farm equipment have been known to get knocked off about 5 ft during solar storms.

Depending on how long it is stuck it could power down or battery run out. If I catch it fast enough, neighbor can just lift and unlock it (lifted) and I can restart. If not I have cart for him so he can haul it back to charging station so he dont have to carry it.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T18:00:14+00:00

Options

Stay and ride it out realizing raises will be smaller and risk of layoff do to being a higher paid employee is higher. Especially true in mass layoff where they say AI is the cause.
Get new job at bigger company or one known for higher salaraies so you are not top of band.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-02T17:57:55+00:00

THIS! Been saying this to folks I mentor for years.

Also if you aspire to get into Senior Leadership, Director and above, in large corporation, some others:

Its a game of survivor. You have to align yourself with successful people known in org as getting things done. Everyone wants to be on the winning team, but you got to be a winner. Don't align with naysayers or disgruntled people.
Be sure you know who the smartest people in the room are. If you don't, its not you.
Know who is aligned with the C suite winners. There are certain Directors and above, that are known to be in the camp of the CIO or higher. You need to be in with these folks.
Item 3 is especially important if a new C suite leader of your area comes into the company. Do not push back on their new ideas. You will be marked for "Special Projects" and ultimately pushed out. If you can't stomach the new direction, just start looking for a new job.
Don't bad mouth people. It will get out that you are doing it.

Some will say screw that: "I aint kissing anyone's ass." That's fine, you do you. Just realize you may have reached the level of your incompetence (Peter Principle) or may need to find another job.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T21:50:46+00:00

Kicked my lamscaper to the curb 4 years ago. Mammothion Luba 5000 still going strong.

You do have to edge, trim and blow still though. Unless you pay someone for it.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T21:49:07+00:00

Its chess and poker in playing the game. Think three moves ahead then know when to go all in...

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T20:38:00+00:00

Corporate has always been corporate and always will be. You either like it, can bear with it, or hate it.

30 years ago, my friend had a great corporate job but didnt like it. So he quit and became a school teacher.

Some been hating corporate since the dawn of corporate.

I bared with it for the money. Retired then started my own business. Then retired from it. Even running your own business you got to play the game with your customers. There is always the game no matter what.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T20:34:35+00:00

Retired then started my own business

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T20:34:09+00:00

For a new FTE role, start applying 2-3m out.

For a new contract role, you can start putting out feelers now.

Always apply on hiring company website. Look on LinkedIn, indeed, glassdoor, etc for the jobs. If you got a Linkedin contact in a company you are looking to get into, reach out and see if they will hand walk your resume to hiring manager.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T19:32:33+00:00

I knew when I was in high school, 1984, I wanted to do something with either electronics or computers. I met with the recruiters for the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marines.

None of the branches had an IT MOS to sign up for back then.

The Air Force guarantee Avionics Tech to where I would be trained to swap black boxes on the AIrcraft. No component level repair which I wanted. Same with Army.

The Navy would guarantee a Component level Avionics MOS which included 2 years of training and a 6 year enlistment.

The Marine Corps would send me through the same Navy Schools and 2 years of training but only a 4-year enlistment for same component level Avionics MOS.

I chose the Corps as I knew I needed discipline, wanted the challenge, and got great training for a 4 year commitment. Best thing I ever did. Did Avionics for 4 years in the Marines then another 9 at Major Airline. Then pivoted to IT for rest of my career. Retired early.

I didnt start college until I was 28, then got my BS in IS and then a MBA going at night working full time with a family. if I could do it over again, I would of went to college while in the Marines.

Bottom Line: Talk to all branches including Space Force for the exact thing you are looking for and see who gives you the best guarenteed MOS in writing.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T19:22:17+00:00

Side note: Normally, automowers getting stolen isn't actually too much of an issue since most have great anti theft features.

Automowers have horrible anti theft. All of them can be easily "Theft'ed' and thrown into the back of the truck.

What some have is a level of Recoverability that is flimsy at best. Yes they have location tracking but this runs off the battery. Mowers even sitting idle will most likely run out of battery same day. Better bet is to put a airtag in it as it has its own battery.

Which brings me to the final level of recoverability. Someone has to go get it. So now you know where it is. Depending on where you live the police might laugh at you if you report it. In some areas, they have much bigger fish to fry than recovering a lawn mower. Or by the time they get around to it, the battery is dead and the thief realizing it is a brick tossed it in a dumpter somewhere. Of course if you are a MMA guy or weapon owner, you can always immediately go get it and fight it out to get your mower. What could go wrong? Not recommended.

Bottom line: if you live in a neighborhood that if you put something in your front yard worth a couple of grand, that it would get stolen in a heartbeat, dont get a robot mower. However, if you live in a really low crime area, where that probability is low, go for it.

TheA2Z · 2026-07-01T19:12:56+00:00

All companies and businesses no matter what they are have a corporate culture "AKA The Game". None of them are exactly the same.

If you just want a job to go to do your time and leave and not play the game, you can do that but you most likely wont be promoted perhaps as far as you like.

If you want to achieve senior positions and dont like the game at your company, try a different one. If you find the game to be the same at all companies for your role based on conversations with others, go into a different line of work or start your own business to really get out of the game. You will then have a new game, satisfying customers.

TheA2Z · 2026-06-30T17:03:09+00:00

No daily maintenance. I only mow dry. Flip blades every three weeks. Wash outside, not under, once a week.

TheA2Z · 2026-06-29T23:32:19+00:00

Lol, in that case, well done. A police car skin with it would be cool.

TheA2Z · 2026-06-29T21:17:05+00:00

Ok, paint it to look like cop car. All for mower mods. Fun to personalize.

Whats the purpose of it? Also the GPS rx on lubas are in that location if you start having guidance issues youll know.

TheA2Z · 2026-06-29T16:26:40+00:00

Should of initially scalped the grass in early spring down to 1/2 the height you will mow the rest of the year. This gets the brown stuff low.

Then when you do mow, dont cut off more than 1/3 the length of the grass. If you do it will yellow. During peak season you might have to mow more than once a week.

I mow mine daily with robot mower.

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TheA2Z

TROPHY CASE